Jehovah's Witnesses, Harrison Twp. Duke It Out Before County

Zoning, religion at heart of spat over industrial park

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The Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners heard
both sides Wednesday in an appeal that pits the Jehovah’s Witnesses
against Harrison Township.

The dispute stems from a plot of land that, through some
legal wrangling and a Joint Economic Development Agreement, Harrison
Township officials say can only be used for industrial purposes that
create jobs.

The Southwest Ohio Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
wants to build a massive assembly hall that they say would be a draw to
the 28,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in the region and create jobs in
surrounding service sector businesses.

The Hamilton County Rural Zoning Commission denied
permission to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, citing fear over the impact to
local businesses and traffic, causing the religious group to appeal the
decision to the Board of County Commissioners.

Board President Greg Hartmann said commissioners would set a date in the coming weeks to arrive at a decision.

Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes lawyer Chris Finney represented the Witnesses before the board.

Finney argued that the Zoning Commission was wrong to deny
permission to build the assembly hall. He pointed to the positive
economic impact such halls have had in other states and brought
witnesses to testify about the potential impact it could have on
Cincinnati.

According to a slide show presented before the board, the
hall could result in $1.19 million in annual tax revenue and create 421
jobs in the service industry surrounding the site.

Being a religious institution, the hall would be tax-exempt and would be staffed by volunteers.

Harrison Township officials argued that the area was
created under a special agreement that requires industrial use and that
any businesses located there create jobs and enhance economic
development.

Mayor Joel McGuire said the township had offered up other
locations for the assembly hall, but the Witnesses were fixated on the
one.

“That’s why we’re in the all-or-nothing situation we’re in
because they insist on this particular spot as opposed to the many
other locations where there’d be no problems at all,” McGuire said.